Biz Bits: The secret behind one Chico manufacturer

Wally Herger talks with Transfer Flow CEO Lisa Johnson following a tour of the facility and receipt of an award from the National Association of Manufacturers on Feb. 24, 2011. (Bill Husa/Staff File Photo)

I had to confess that I was curious about something happening on the Enterprise-Record's website recently.

A short announcement about a Chico manufacturing company giving tours one day became one of the top 10 most-viewed articles on the E-R website.

This was not a tour of a top-secret military installation or some place that money was minted, so I was a little mystified about the interest.

I checked in with WARREN JOHNSON, an executive at TRANSFER FLOW, which was the welcoming Chico company.

It makes and sells after-market gas tanks and other items at its Chico Municipal Airport Industrial Park plant.

Johnson, who handles marketing among other jobs, said they were delighted by the turnout of about 60-70 people who dropped in during the day.

Celebrating local companies at the airport is a good thing, especially when there are residents in the area who have never been out to the facility or the industrial park there.

Perhaps they were motivated to visit to job hunt.

The company decided to give the tours because of an affiliation with a national manufacturing association that encouraged the event, as well as pride in their company.

I find the airport and business world out there to be fascinating. It's definitely one of our underestimated assets.

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MARILYN WARRENS of Chico dropped by the other day to update us on her fundraiser for Save Bidwell Mansion.

She arranged to have a photograph of the mansion created into a jigsaw puzzle, based on a photograph from PAULA BEEHNER, a local professional photographer.

If all the puzzles sell, $10,000 will have been made for the mansion effort.

And it seems most have sold. She just put in an order for 500 more boxes since she's been getting calls from stores about restocking their shelves.

Warrens said she chose to do this because of her love of the mansion, as well as a willingness to help out.

Besides, puzzles are fun.

Puzzles are still available, for $20, at Bird in Hand, Chico State University bookstore, Chico Museum, Chico Art Center, Hubbs, Made in Chico, Mecca Salon, all UPS stores, and Zucchini and Vine.

The second shipment should arrive just about Christmas shopping time, she said. Some from this batch will be sold at the Bidwell Mansion gift shop too.

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Toward the end of last year, NUVOLASE was one of the Chico companies cited for its innovation and growth.

That company manufactures the PinPoint FootLaser that zaps toenail fungus.

NuvoLase president STEVE DUDDY announced that his company has received an ISO 13485 certification for its quality management system.

The certification specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements, he wrote.

Duddy said the certification is "a significant achievement and a major milestone for an emerging company such as NuvoLase," which is celebrating its first-year anniversary.

NuvoLase was created after Duddy purchased the rights to the laser, which was invented by a team headed by JOHN STRISOWER of Chico, lastly of Patholase.

Speaking of Strisower, his name was in the news recently because of a fundraising effort for his new product, MUVICHIP.

Strisower signed up for crowdfunding through Indiegogo, a web-based fundraising tool. Strisower hoped to raise $100,000 through private pledges over a period that ended Oct. 7.

The effort didn't raise the required amount — pulling in about $15,000. But Strisower had originally told me he was more interested in the marketing of the invention, which allows mobile device owners to view movies.